WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- 2018 got off to a very cold start. The cold temperatures gave lead to a frightening 60 percent increase in home fire fatalities when compared to the beginning of 2017. While it is wise to have a Central Station Fire and Burglar Alarm, which is proven to greatly reduce the risk of total home loss and save lives, there is another safety precaution you can take today that will save lives, prevent a home fire from spreading and cost you nothing.

That safety precaution is to close and contain.

The team at Advocate is advising that that if you find yourself in a structure that is on fire, when you leave, be sure to close and contain by closing the door behind you in order to contain the fire. That’s it! It seems so simple but it truly can save your life.

The reason this works is that a closed door limits the fire’s oxygen supply which can help to contain the fire. The closed door slows down or stops the spread of flames, reduces the temperature and reduces the emission of deadly carbon monoxide.

Underwriters Laboratories, the Safety and Consulting Company, takes this a step further and recommends that you "close before you doze."

Underwriters Laboratories requests that before you lay down each night to sleep, you close the door to your bedroom. As stated above, this will reduce the spread of flames, reduce the temperature in the room and decrease the amount of carbon monoxide.
"Good Morning America" did a story
about UL’s campaign at the end of 2017 that beautifully illustrates this point.

Another important factor is that modern materials found in items such as curtains, toys or cushion filling often release toxic fumes as they burn. These fumes cause the death of more people as they sleep than the flames of the fire itself.

So please, join Advocate Brokerage and Underwriters Laboratories by creating a new habit: close your bedroom doors at night and teach your children that in a fire-related emergency it is important to close and contain.

Educating each client we serve is important to Advocate Brokerage. If you have questions or need help with fire safety resources, please call 914-723-7100 or visit
advocatebrokerage.com
.